Theresa May's calling of a snap general election on the pretext of needing a mandate on Brexit is a sham. However, the election campaign gives an opportunity to expose and oppose her government's austerity programme and to get rid of the Tories.

The Socialist Party welcomes the re-election of Len McCluskey as General Secretary of Unite. His victory over Gerard Coyne is a defeat for the Tories and the capitalist establishment as well as the Blairites within Labour.

Socialist Party members throughout England and Wales are out campaigning in support of Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) candidates standing in local and mayoral elections. We are appealing to all readers and supporters of the Socialist to make a donation to help support those candidates.

Talk of Britain 'going to war' with Spain, EU politicians telling each other not to 'lose their cool' - can all seem surreal. The chaos shows that there is no cohesive approach to Brexit within the British or European ruling classes

The sectarian nature of the election - as well as the perceived pressure on voters to vote 'tactically' given a reduction in the number of seats - in general served to knock back forces seen as challenging the establishment from the left

Build a mass workers' party that fights for socialism: The most important feature of the elections is the colossal defeat for the outgoing austerity coalition government of the Liberal Party and the Labour Party

24. The current situation in the Labour Party - two parties within one - cannot continue indefinitely. The attempt of the representatives of capitalism to depose Corbyn in the immediate aftermath of the